Cape fires: Pilot dies in helicopter crash
Authorities have reported to the scene where a helicopter came down this afternoon.
CAPE TOWN - A helicopter assisting in efforts to extinguish a blaze in Cape Point in the Western Cape has crashed.
ER 24 has confirmed the pilot has not survived.
Working on Fire spokesperson Evelyn Holtzhausen, "The pilot was rushed off to hospital but unfortunately declared dead on arrival. He was involved in a fire suppression exercise."
Firefighters have been containing a blaze and its flare-ups in the area ever since thunderstorms ignited vegetation on Wednesday.
Fire and Rescue's Liesl Moodie has confirmed a Working on Fires helicopter fell this afternoon.
Authorities have reported to the scene.
Huey helicopter doing a fire recce and control came down near Cape Point. Tragically pilot killed. #CapeFire
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 8, 2015
For EWN's special interactive feature on Cape fires, click here.